Chapter 44
Endgame
It was a sober group that gathered on the porch of Phinny and Dy’s charming cottage, despite the cold, aged ale and fresh rosemary twists.
The shrieks of the kids splashing in the pond with Katu and Big Betty in their animal forms, the latter spraying everyone with water she sucked up into her trunk—including the adults sitting on the porch—helped to lighten the mood, but didn’t lift them entirely out of the glums.
“I can’t believe Otto fucked us,” Cha commented.
“Language,” Phinny said in mild reproof.
“They’re a mile away and I know they’ve heard the word before.”
“I can’t believe Monat is dead,” Dy said, elbowing Cha. “Priorities.”
“Well, Monat would be dead, regardless, but we still could have gotten paid,” Cha told her, earning a fierce glare from both women.
Cha shrugged and took a swig of her ale.
It went down cold and just the right bittersweet to match her mood.
Even the rosemary twists didn’t give her much comfort.
Something was tugging at her, a nagging worry, a particular purple dread that she strongly suspected had to do with Azul and this connection he’d spoken of.
He’d known she was in trouble; would she sense the same?
The big problem there was that he had had the power to save her whereas she couldn’t even begin to find him.
She even swallowed her considerable pride and drove Katu out to that rural ley, looking for the bloody rose gates or the field of poppies or even a something that looked like a nothing.
She’d gone up that stupid slow rural ley several dozen times, hoping against hope that her princely hitchhiker might appear.
No joy.
If they did have some connection—and if it mattered—it existed only because of mutual life-saving.
He’d said so himself. And he’d said, clearly and honestly, that she was no one to him.
Nothing more than a ride. In every sense of the word, no doubt.
Well, at least she’d sated the pussy sparkle for a while.
And quite satisfactorily, too. She’d banged a full fae prince and lived to tell the tale.
She could dine out on that for quite some time.
Which, she might have to, as Otto’s disappearance meant no races for a while and a girl needed to eat.
“Lucky Ducky sent another offer our way,” Cha finally said.
“No,” Phin and Dy said in unison.
Cha raised a brow at them. “It’s all this side of the borders. Totally human to human job.”
Phin sighed heavily. “Can we just—”
She broke off as Dy put a hand on her arm. “Someone is coming,” Dy said, lifting her nose as if she could sniff out the unexpected arrival. “Plenty of magic, probably fae.”
“Wonderful,” Phin grumbled, pushing to her feet. “You kids—get to the barn and hide out in there. Because I said so!” she added to the chorus of protest.
That was a kind of magic, the unruly children immediately trooping off, Phin following behind to scoop up Inigo, casting a warning look over her shoulder at Dy that spoke volumes.
Even Katu and Big Betty followed Phin obediently and Cha fervently hoped someone would keep an eye on the chickens with Katu around.
She and Dy strolled out to the parking ley, with studied nonchalance, and stood hip to hip, waiting.
Dy’s magic bristled in the air and Cha rested her hands comfortably near the Moonruby wand and the Cinnabar sword.
Her heart, however, tripped along in a happy, hopeful beat that made her want to stomp it under her bootheel.
The optimistic little fucker only brought her pain.
“Do you think it’s him?” Dy asked quietly.
Cha snorted in deliberately vulgar fashion and cocked a hip. “Otto? No. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s dead.”
Dy slid her a knowing look. “I meant Prince Charming and you know it.”
Cha knew it. Sometimes she hated how well Dy could predict her. “It’s not him,” she replied with certainty. That wasn’t just her cynicism speaking, either. “Not his flavor of magic.”
“So, you know the flavor of his magic that well, hmm? You know, you never did tell me exactly what—”
“Shh. They’re here.”
A carriage rolled up, not one enchanted from an animal, but something fully fae and looking like a giant soap bubble made (mostly) solid.
It came to a halt and a woman stepped out, standing on the slow black ley like it was nothing, which it was to her.
Her knee-length, strawberry-blonde hair shimmered with an unearthly glow.
She looked between Cha and Dy, then rested her gaze on Cha. “You,” she said. “Bridget.”
“Hi Lenorae.” Cha decided on the wand and drew it slightly. Only Azul could have told her that name, but that didn’t mean he’d sent her.
“You know this…person?” Dy asked, the pause just perceptible. “Why is she calling you Bridget?”
“Long story. This is Prince Charming’s bride that was,” Cha answered in a cool, uncaring tone. “Or is it official ball and chain now?”
“I don’t know what that means,” Lenorae said, then tossed something silver at Cha.
Cha caught it reflexively, knowing what it was when it thunked into her palm. She showed it to Dy, who whistled. A platinum coin.
“I was told you’d know who sent this,” Lenorae said, her voice lifting at the end in almost a question.
Cha nodded, feeling flat-footed and not at all sure what to make of this.
“You need to come with me,” Lenorae said.
“Oh, honey,” Dy drawled. “Bless your heart, but I don’t think so. I suggest you drop the glamour before I strip it off for you.”
Lenorae made a pretty O with her mouth, a lovely, innocent expression that faded immediately. The air around her flickered, magic fluttering in a cloud of crimson rose petals. And in the pretty woman’s place stood a glowing red demon, with huge, outstretched wings, and Lenorae’s eyes.
Cha suspected she knew what Azul had seen to make him flee the altar. Though, who knew? Maybe demons were his kink.
“Now will you come with me?” the demon asked in Lenorae’s fluting tones.
Dy started to say no again and Cha stopped her. “I have to go.”
That nagging connection that said Azul jumped up and down in affirmation.
Giving her a long fulminating stare, Dy seethed for a full minute, then threw up her hands. “Fine. I’ll get Warg and fire up Big Betty.”
Cha grabbed her into a hug. “Thanks, Goldilocks.”
Dy returned the embrace. “Always, Bandit.” Then she pulled back and rolled her eyes.
“Phin is going to kill us,” they said as one.